PEACH, PASSIONFRUIT & CREAM SPONGE SANDWICH CAKE

Butter, for greasing

SPONGE

6 eggs, at room temperature 180g caster sugar Pinch salt 180g plain flour, plus extra for flouring Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

FILLING & TOPPING

500ml thickened cream 50g icing sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 2-3 yellow peaches, halved, stones removed, then cut into eighths 3 tbsp passionfruit pulp

1 Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and flour a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

2 To make the sponge, put eggs, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until very pale and fluffy. This will take about 10-15 mins using a mixer, quite a bit more if you are doing it by hand. Sift flour on top of egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a wooden spoon. Don’t overmix! Add the lemon zest and vanilla.

3 Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 35-40 mins or until golden on top and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don’t open oven during this time or cake will collapse. Turn off heat but leave cake in the oven to cool for 10 mins, leaving the door ajar, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

4 Whip cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form, then stir through the vanilla.

5 Cut cake in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Spread half the cream over the base, and top with peaches and half the passionfruit pulp. Put the second half of the cake on top, then dollop with the rest of the cream and drizzle with more passionfruit.